Set in 1930s Italy, the story revolves around Guido, a carefree Jewish waiter turned bookseller. He embarks on a fairy tale journey as he woos and weds Dora, a charming female teacher. Together, Guido and Dora welcome a son named Joshua, and their lives brim with joy. However, their happiness is shattered when the town's Jewish community is forcefully uprooted and transported in cattle cars during a period of forced deportation. Despite not being required to leave, Dora chooses to stand with her family, leading them all into the confines of a concentration camp.
To shield his family from the horrors of the camp and to guide his son through the ordeal, Guido employs an imaginative strategy. He envisions the Holocaust as a game, where the ultimate prize for emerging victorious is a tank. This unique perspective becomes his mechanism for keeping his family united and striving to survive amidst the unimaginable challenges they face.
